LJMU explores research to help 'heroes'

LJMU hosted its first major Armed Forces event since being awarded a national ‘Gold’ standard for supporting the veterans’ community.

The Armed Forces and Veteran’s Community Symposium united academe, the uniformed services and charities in exploring future research collaborations which impact on helping people live well after service to their country.

The issues affecting veterans cut across many LJMU research areas including sport and exercise science, justice and criminology, mental and public health, psychology and, of course, education.

Dr Gus Ryrie, chair of the Armed Forces Steering Group, supported by researcher John Goulding, hosted delegates from Help for Heroes, the Royal British Legion, the Prison Service, Tom Harrison House, Uclan and others.

Keynote speaker Professor Matt Fossey of Anglia Ruskin University outlined the myriad opportunities for research, qualitative and quantitative, in a field of interest that is very much in its infancy.

“Only ten years ago when I started my group, there was a sole research group at King’s College, so LJMU has a real space to put a flag in the sand,” he said.

Unknown territory

Chris Sykes, Assistant Chief Constable of Greater Manchester which has also achieved ‘Gold’ for its approach to arrested veterans and employment of former military personnel, said: “We have built links with the Jewish, Muslim, LGBTQ+ communities but here is a community – of maybe 200,000 - whom we knew nothing until a few years ago.”

He said GMP referrals to mental health support for apprehended veterans has jumped from 38 in 2018 to more than 500 this year.

John Goulding also presented on his PhD which concludes in April on the reasons why veterans end up in prison.

Dr Ryrie, who has strong support from the VC Mark Power, said: “In a short space of time we’ve built a serious commitment to ex-services personnel. This is both in terms of opening avenues to higher education but also in creating research which improves support for people through service provision, policy change and societal change.”

Picture: Dr Gus Ryrie, PhD John Goulding and Professor Matt Fossey at Tuesday's event.